Method and machine for electroplating



y J. w. HUGHES 1,807,157

METHOD AND IAGHINE FOR ELECTROPLATING Filed Nov. 25, 1926 2 Sheets -Sheef 1 v L. jg

23 Q 23 it 15 x M g 2 I INVENTOR.

- 1 klrmes Wfiziylzea; BY

y 1931- J. w. HU'GHES 1,807,157

METHOD AND MACHINE FOR ELECTROPLATING Filed Nov. 25, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR: Jrnes Mfg/L66 A TTORNE Y.

Patented May 26, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES W. HUGHES, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASIGNOR TO BUDD WHEEL ,COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA METHOD AND MACHINE FOR ELECTROPLATING Application filed November 23, 1926. Serial No. 150,215.

The present invention comprises both a method and machine for electroplating small articles in large quantities.

An accompanying object of the invention is the provision of a method of plating, wherebythe need of stripping or the removing of the metal deposited on the-article carriers is obviated.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a method particularly suited to the plating of small objects rapidly and economically. In this instance, the method is disclosed in relation to the plating of cap nuts.

A third object consists of a which the method is carried out.

Other objects of the invention and the advantages thereof will appear from the following description and the appended drawings. The said drawings areof somewhat diagrammatic nature, parts being omitted to simplify the disclosure.

Figure 1 is a vertical section of the improved apparatus showing the end of the rotor and the electrical connections therewith, the latter in a conventional manner.

Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line II-II of Figure 1. v

Figure 3 is a vertical section at right angles to Fig. 1 through the axis of the rotor.

Figure 4 is a detail of the brush construction to a larger scale, and

Figure 5 is a detail of the article support shown to'a still larger scale.

Broadly the invention lies in a method and an arrangement whereby the article carriers are alternately subjected to the action of the plating current, acting as anodes when they are empty of articles to be plated, and acting as cathodes when filled. That is, an empty article carrier passing through the electrolyte is connected to the positive branch of the circuit, while a full article carrierduring its passage through the electrolyte. acts as a cathode and is connected to the negative branch of the circuit. As a result, whatever metal is deposited on the article carrier. while containing articles to be plated and acting as a cathode is removed from it durin its functioning as an anode. This automatically does 1 machine by away with the need for stripping or cleaning the article carriers by the usual methods.

More specifically, the machine as illustrated consists of a rotor 1, journalled in a tank 2 by a shaft 3. The tank 2 is built of non-conductive material well known in the art, such as wood, etc. The rotor 1 comprises end discs formed of non-conductive discs 4 and reinforcing metal discs 5. The composite disc 45 thus formed is spaced from its companion disc by means of bars 6 which are secured to the disc by bolts 7. The bars 6 are formed of the material with which it is desired to plate the articles, and are connected electrically through the same fastening bolts 7 to the metal plates 5. The metal plates 5 contact with the shaft 3 and the latter with a brush 8 which is connected to the positive branch of the circuit. The bars 6 thus form a part of the anode system of the device. The

end discs 4, 5 are pierced by series of holes 9,

10 the former passing through the disc 4 are of a size such as to fit the ring 11 of the article carrier snugly. The aperture 10 passing through the end disc 5 is larger than the aperture 9, thereby electrically isolating the article carrier rings 11 from the metallic disc 5. I

The article carriers comprise metal rings 11 seated at both ends in the discs 4 and con nected by metal bars 12 which arewelded to the said rings. Thebars are so arranged as to provide loose but positive seating for the articles to be plated, in this case, several cap nuts. A screw 23 passing radially through the disc 4 from the exterior periphery there of serves to bind each article carrier ring firmly in place in its seat in the disc 4, and serves also to connect the article carrier electrically with a series of brushes.

The articles. to be plated obviously determine the specific arrangement of the bars 12 of the carriers. In any event they are so ar ranged as to provide for the support of continuous rows of articles extending from one end of the carrier to the other.

The brushes are arranged in a circle about one end of the rotor and placed with those to establish contact with the said screws. These brushes are alternately connected to the posisuccessively,

tive and negative branches of the electrical supply circuit. In the present instance, there are provided nine article carriers and seven brushes. Beginning with the upper right hand brush in Figure 1 and numbering them we have brushes numbered 13, 14, 15, 16, 17,18 and 19, and loading and unloading stations 20, 21 where there are no brushes, and which are above the level 22 of the electrolyte (Figure 3). Opposite the unloading station an ejector 24 is provided at one end of the article carrier and a chute 25 or guide at the other end. Opposite the loading station, another guide 26 is provided by means of which articles are supplied at that point to the carriers.

When a filled carrier arrives at the unloading station 21, a simple movement of the ejector 24 thrusts the plated articles into the chute or guides 25 which conveys them to the subsequent finishing operations. Similarly, on alignment oi an empty carrier with the chute or girders 26, a new supply of unplated articles is loaded in the carrier.

In operating the present illustrative machine alternate article carriers are loaded and the rotor is moved step by step an interval corresponding to the distance between two article carriers. Thus the articles and carrier shown in place at the loading station 20 in Figure 1 contact successively with brushes 14, 16 and 18 and will finally arrive at the unloading position. On its next passage through the electrolyte the same carrier, now empty, will contact successively with the brushes numbered 13, 15, 17 and 19 and again be in position for loading. From this it can be seen that any coating acquired by the carrier during the plating of articles carried thereby is automatically stripped from it in its next passage through the electrolyte. Due to the loose fit of the articles in the carrier and the rotation of the rotor, the articles are not in contact with the carrier at any one point long enough to preclude efiective plating at that oint, and there results from the operzlition 0? this machine a perfectly plated artic e.

the.

versal of the polarity of said article carriers with each movement through said electrolyte, whereby they are relieved of the deposit.

2. A method of electro-plating and stripping comprising the successive movement 0 a plurality of article carriers through an electrolyte bath, loading alternate carriers with articles to be plated and connecting said loaded carriers to act as cathodes, and the remaining carriers to act as anodes, and successively reversing'the loading and polarity of the carriers.

3. A method of electro-platin and stripping comprising the passage 0 an articlebearing carrier through an electrolyte while connected to the negative terminal of an electrical supply system, followed by the emptying of the carrier and its passage through the electrolyte while connected to the positive terminal of said supply, the reversal of the connections taking place automatically in the movement of said carrier.

4. A machine of the character described comprising a plurality of article-carrying devices, means for moving said devices through an electrolytic plating bath and means rendered operative by said moving means for causing the said carryin devices to act successively and alternate y as anodes and cathodes.

5. A machine of the character described comprising a plurality of article carriers, means for passing said carriers through an electrolytic plating bath successively and means for causin alternating reversals of the polarity of sand carriers.

6. A machine of the character described comprising a rotor having a series of article carriers therein, electrical contacts also therein arranged to make connection with said carriers and to reverse the polarity thereof successively.

7. A machine of the character described comprising a rotor having an uneven number of article carriers, an electrolyte tank carrying brushes adapted to establish electrical contact with said carriers and carrier-loading and unloading devices associated with said The action of the machine ma be made entank tirely automatic, merely by sync ronizing the ejecting and loading devices with the movements of the rotor and providing a source of power for the whole.

While the apparatus of the invention has been described with reference to a specific embodiment thereof, it is obviously capable of assuming various other forms; therefore the scope of the invention is not to be limited by this disclosure, but only by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A method of electro-plating comprising the successive movement of a series of article carriers through an electrolyte wherein they receive an electrolytic deposit and the re- 8. A machine of the character described comprising a series of article carriers, means for moving said carriers through an electrolyte, means for loading and unloading alter- 1-..te carriers and means for reversing the electrical polarity of said carriers with each movement through said electrolyte, whereby the loaded carriers serve as cathodes and the unloaded carriers as anodes in their movement through the electrolyte.

9. A machine of the character described, comprising an uneven number of article carrying devices, an uneven number of co-acti electrical contacts of alternate polarity an means for moving said article carrying devices intermittently through twice the interval between said electrical contacts whereby said article carriers sufier successive reversals of electrical polarity.

10. In a plating machine,a rotor revolvable in an electrolytic bath, said rotor comprising article carrying devices and anode ars and means to retain the polarity of the anode bars and to effect successive reversals of the electrical polarity of said article carrying devices.

11. A method of combining electrd with stripping of deposited met article carrlers, comprising the passage of an odd number of article carriers intermittentl through an electrolytic-solution, causing lled article carriers to have a negative electrical potential and empty article carriers to have a positive potential while at rest within said solution.

In testimony whereof he hereunto aflixes his signature.

JAMES W. HUGHES.

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